Veganism has boomed over the past decade, and, no matter where you are in the UK, you’re never too far from a plant-based café or restaurant. Bristol is one of the most vegan-friendly cities in the country, and almost all establishments have at least a few plant-based options. But what if you’re looking for more choice?
Whether you’re after a healthy brunch, a junk food fix, or a tasty takeaway, there are some places where vegans get their whole pick of the menu. But which places are best? As a born-and-bred Bristolian – and a dedicated vegan – I tasted my way around town to find Bristol’s best plant-based hotspots.
Here are eight of the best places to eat vegan food in Bristol.
1. Cheung’s Vegan Kitchen
Credit: Cheung’s Vegan Kitchen & Deliveroo
Sweet and sour pork, satay chicken, and crispy duck pancakes may sound like dishes vegans can’t enjoy, but that’s not the case at Cheung’s Vegan Kitchen. Though it began life as a traditional Chinese takeaway in 1969, a few years ago owner Linda Wong decided to trial a vegan menu…and they never looked back. Today, Cheung’s is beloved by people looking for plant-based versions of Chinese takeaway classics.
The mock meat, made from tofu, is startlingly convincing, from the satisfyingly crispy mock duck to the moreish Kung Po chicken. There are plenty of non-mock-meat options for vegan purists, too; the black bean tofu, fragrant Sichuan eggplant, and Malaysian curry are all mouthwatering. Be sure to order a side of zesty lemon ‘fish’ and salt-and-pepper ‘calamari’ – and don’t forget the prawn crackers!
2. Renato’s
Credit: Renato’s
Just a few doors down from the Bristol Old Vic is Renato’s, a late-night pizza bar. While the original Renato’s didn’t survive the lockdowns, it reopened in 2023 as a fully veggie pizza place. All pizzas can be made vegan, and you can grab a slice in the bar or head up to the restaurant for a sit-down meal. The bar serves crispy New York-style slices, but upstairs it’s thick-crust Detroit-style pan pizza that’s on the menu.
The whimsically named pizzas include Leave Me Here (plant-based pepperoni, jalapenos, chilli, and hot honey), Bull in the Heather (basil, garlic oil, and a full vegan burrata), and In Bloom (garlic mushrooms, blue cheese, rocket, black pepper, and truffle oil). The pizzas are very filling – and absolutely delicious – but try to leave room for dessert: choose from tiramisu, hot apple pie, and chocolate nemesis cake.
3. VeBurger
Credit: VeBurger
If you’re craving fast food, head to VeBurger. Following the success of the first restaurant, on the bustling Wapping Wharf harbourside, a second has just opened on Whiteladies Road, and it’s not difficult to see why business is booming. Unlike other vegan burger joints, VeBurger keeps prices low, with plant-based burgers starting at just £3.99, and sides from only £2.95.
Popular items include the double cheeseburger, epic rooster, or, if you fancy a taste of the ocean, mini sea burger. Currently, there are also two limited edition Japanese-themed burgers, the Katsu Rooster Crunch and the Teriyaki Beef Supreme. Burgers are paired with in-house special VeSauce, baconaise, or tartar, so are suitably juicy, and loaded fries, nuggets, and indulgent desserts will ensure you’re full!
4. Vegan India
Credit: Vegan India & Uber Eats
Indian food is generally good for vegans…but if you’d like your pick of the whole menu, head to Vegan India. This entirely plant-based restaurant and takeaway is located on the lively Gloucester Road, and allows vegans to tuck into some of the most beloved and traditional Indian dishes around. Be warned: the menu is huge, so prepare to agonise over it (or just order way too much and take leftovers home).
First, choose from dishes like korma, bhuna, madras, jalfrezi, vindaloo, rogan josh, and dhansak. Then, select your main ingredient: you might like to try the meat alternatives like ‘shrimp’, ‘lamb’, ‘chicken’, or alternatively, embrace wholefoods with aubergine, tofu, or tempeh. The sides are particularly delicious, so it’s worth ordering a few: the ‘sag no paneer’, served with tofu instead of paneer, was a real highlight.
5. Fi Real
Credit: Fi Real
If you’d like to be transported to sun-drenched islands, head to Fi Real, in Old Market. This family-run restaurant serves up authentic Caribbean food that’s bursting with flavour, and if you’re in the mood to try something new, it won’t disappoint. Why not order the callaloo, a leafy green similar to spinach, or ackee and tofu, the veganised version of Jamaica’s national dish, ackee and saltfish?
Other traditional dishes include jerk tofu and spicy kale, chickpea curry, okra and butter beans, and black bean stew. If you’re very hungry, be sure to order a side of plantain, dumplings, and the obligatory rice and beans. Fi Real are also known for their fresh, health-busting juices, so why not wash your meal down with a zingy ginger kicker, or a wonderfully refreshing-yet-creamy mango smoothie?
6. Koocha Mezze Bar
Ask a local vegan to recommend a restaurant, and there’s a good chance they’ll tell you to go to Koocha Mezze. Based on Cheltenham Road, when Koocha opened in 2018 it became Bristol’s first entirely vegan restaurant – and, since then, it’s become one of the city’s most popular plant-based spots. Here, you can tuck into the delicious spices and flavours of Persia and the Middle East, but with a unique vegan twist.
Many of the dishes are designed to share, including crispy oyster mushroom wings, sweetcorn fritters, and crispy spinach and leek balls. If you’re in the mood for your own meal, choose from a seitan doner, burger and fries, or a Koocha kebab on saffron rice. Desserts include authentic baklava, pistachio and marshmallow cheesecake, and dark tahini brownie. The gin and tonic cocktails are excellent, too.
7. Cafe Kino
Cafe Kino is more than a vegan cafe; it’s a beloved Bristolian institution. This ethical, non-profit cafe-bar doubles up as a community meeting space, and it’s been serving the residents of Stokes Croft and around for more than 20 years. Though it started out as a veggie cafe, today Cafe Kino is fully vegan, and if you’re looking for a hearty all-day breakfast, you won’t find a better spot in the city.
Also on the menu are homemade burgers (choose from bean or seitan), soups, salads, and sandwiches, as well as all kinds of cookies, brownies, and cakes at the counter. Produce is sourced locally, with most ingredients being purchased from Essential Trading, a local whole food co-operative. Downstairs in the basement, you can catch music performances, film screenings, comedy shows, and life drawing events.
8. Suyuan
Another one for fans of Chinese food now. Suyuan is a vegetarian restaurant specialising in Southern Chinese food, with a focus on traditional home cooking. Located right in the centre of Bristol, in leafy Queen Square, it’s safe to say that if you haven’t been to China, you haven’t tasted Chinese food like this before. And there’s more good news: while this is a vegetarian restaurant, all dishes can be made vegan.
There’s so much on the menu that ordering can be a challenge, so you might like to order a bunch of sides or starters instead. Favourites include fried aubergine stuffed with tofu and chives, crispy pancakes filled with red bean paste, and dumplings stuffed with pak choy, rice noodles, and shiitake mushrooms. The chef specials, like tofu, spinach and beansprouts cooked with peanut butter, are all fabulous too.
Have you been to any of these vegan restaurants? Or do you have your own suggestions for the best plant-based eateries in Bristol? We’d love to hear about your food experiences in the comments below.